The objectives of the Diabetes Endocrinology Research Center are to: 1) provide biomedical core support to Affiliate Investigators, 2) create an environment and serve as a vehicle for interdisciplinary collaborative diabetes research, 3) sponsor an enrichment program to inform the diabetes community of new developments, and to stimulate interaction and collaboration of investigators, 4) conduct a pilot and feasibility small grant program to support diabetes research by new investigators and to provide a mechanism for established investigators in other disciplines to initiate projects in diabetes, 5) develop new research methodologies and technologies and make these available to diabetes investigators, and 6) to serve as both a focal point and an umbrella for diabetes research activities in the greater Seattle area. To accomplish these goals, the DERC is organized around six Core units: the Administrative Core, Cell and Tissue Core, Clinical Research Core, Cytohistochemistry Core, Immunoassay Core, Molecular and Genetics Core and the new Islet Core. Through specific services provided, including new developmental work, these Cores support the research of approximately 80 Affiliate Investigators. This research covers the entire spectrum of diabetes investigation including, a) etiology and pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes, b) pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes, c) obesity and regulation of body weight and composition, d) clinical trials in diabetes and related disorders, e) lipoprotein physiology and atherosclerosis, and f) complications of diabetes and aging. To enhance the scientific environment for diabetes research at the University of Washington and to stimulate collaboration, the DERC's Enrichment Program provides a Seminar Series, an annual Core Symposium, and a Visiting Scientist Program.